Emergency services remain at the scene of a substantial overnight fire in the Conamara village of An Sraith Salach.
Fire crews continue to hose down the Joyce family premises which have been extensively damaged. They include a craft shop, grocers, post office, pub knowns as Paddy Festy’s and small petrol station.
A digger has arrived to assist the fire brigade and is currently carrying out demolition work at the back of the premises.
The blaze has caused substantial damage to all buildings in the small business complex
Local people say that proprietor Mark Joyce and his family are devastated. Breandán Ó Máille described the premises as “the focal point” of the village serving a large hinterland.
“The level of upset is beyond words. This is where people come to shop and to have a drink and do their business in the post office. It’s the heart and soul of the area and it’s the point of connection for people living here in rural areas.There are no words”.
The blaze has caused substantial damage to all of the buildings but no injuries have been reported.
Locals reported seeing flames coming from the premises at around 4am. The village is located between Maam Cross and Clifden in the Inagh Valley region and serves a large hinterland.
A section of the N59 road remains closed and traffic from Galway to Clifden is being diverted left via the Inagh Valley.